Retired baseball star David Ortiz shot in the back
June 10, 2019
Former baseball star David "Big Papi" Ortiz was shot in the back and is recovering in the hospital in his native Dominican Republic.
The incident occurred just before 9:00 p.m. local time on Sunday at the Dial Bar and Lounge in Santo Domingo.
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Ortiz, who starred for the Boston Red Sox for 14 seasons before retiring in 2016, underwent surgery at the Abel Gonzalez clinic. His father Leo told reporters that his son was recovering. "He is out of surgery and stable; he is resting. Big Papi will be around for a long time."
Two other people were injured during the ambush, including television presenter Jhoel López; police said they were investigating whether Ortiz was the intended target.
The alleged gunman was apprehended by onlookers soon after the attack and the perpetrator sustained injuries as a result. Local authorities are waiting for him to undergo treatment before questioning him.
Meanwhile, the Red Sox released a statement on Monday morning: "We have offered David's family all available resources to aid in his recovery and will continue to keep them in our hearts," it said.
Ortiz is 17th in the all-time home run tables, having hit 541 in his 20-season career. The 43-year-old spent the first six of those with the Minnesota Twins, playing his rookie season in 1997. He won three World Series whilst hitting with Boston and was an All Star on 10 separate occasions.
jsi/msh (AP, Reuters)
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